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Hibiscus denudatus
Hibiscus denudatus Benth.
Paleface, Rock Hibiscus
Malvaceae (Mallow Family)
Synonym(s): Hibiscus denudatus var. involucellatus
USDA Symbol: hide
USDA Native Status: L48 (N)
Paleface or Rock Hibiscus is a small shrub, 1 1/2-3 ft. high, with tiny, fuzzy leaves which drop during periods of drought. Leaves are fine-toothed, 1-1 1/2 inches long and almost as wide. A scraggly, pale plant covered with whitish hairs. Bowl-shaped, white to pinkish-lavender flowers, more deeply colored in the center, bloom in upper leaf axils and along the ends of leafless, erect branches. Inside the pink or lavender cup of a flower stands a brush-like column of stamens and stigma.
These plants seem to have too few leaves. The delicate flowers are small for the genus and lack the flamboyance of ornamental species.
Plant Characteristics
Duration: PerennialHabit: Shrub
Leaf Retention: Deciduous
Leaf Arrangement: Alternate
Leaf Complexity: Simple
Breeding System: Flowers Bisexual
Fruit Type: Capsule
Size Notes: Up to about 3 feet tall.
Bloom Information
Bloom Color: Pink , PurpleBloom Time: Jan , Feb , Mar , Apr , May , Jun , Jul , Aug , Sep , Oct , Nov , Dec
Distribution
USA: AZ , CA , NM , NV , TXNative Distribution: W. TX to s. CA & n. Mex.
Native Habitat: Sandy washes; low deserts; rocky slopes & canyons
Growing Conditions
Light Requirement: Part ShadeSoil Description: Shallow, rocky or sandy soils.
Conditions Comments: Clumps of Hibiscus start to grow late in the season and flower over a long period in late summer.
Bibliography
Bibref 248 - Texas Wildflowers: A Field Guide (1984) Loughmiller, C. & L. LoughmillerSearch More Titles in Bibliography
Web Reference
Webref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.Webref 23 - Southwest Environmental Information Network (2009) SEINet - Arizona Chapter
Additional resources
USDA: Find Hibiscus denudatus in USDA PlantsFNA: Find Hibiscus denudatus in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Hibiscus denudatus
Metadata
Record Modified: 2023-02-14Research By: TWC Staff